You heard about this 50-1 bet on Michigan State to win it all that that’s been getting so much attention, right? It got me thinking about how important it is to bet on a long shot once in a while.
Realistically back in December when the guy placed the bet (which could net him $1 million if they win), Michigan State looked like they weren’t even headed to the NCAA Tournament. Now, Tom Izzo is making him look like a genius!
What’s the lesson here? Even if something might look like a long shot, you have to consider all conditions and take a chance when people least expect it. In this situation, at the time of the bet, Tom Izzo had 17 straight tournament bids, 6 Final Fours and a championship to his name. So, you could count on them for their consistency even if it looked like they were having a down year.
How great is it in football when a team goes for an onside-kick right at the beginning of the game? Or, a guy bunts a suicide squeeze in the first inning? Or, a team goes for it on 4th and inches during the first half?
Once you consider everything going on in a situation, you just have to say, “What the heck!” and go for it.
Think about where you can catch someone off-guard and take advantage of a situation. You might be an underdog, but that also means you have nothing to lose.
When was the last time you embraced the unknown by making a cold sales call, or applying for that position you were a long shot to get, or trying to meet someone you’ve always wanted to meet? When was the last time you took that kind of a chance?
Sometimes they hit.
